Insulator arm support device

ABSTRACT

The invention comprises a support device for supporting electrical components such as an electric wire carrying a live charge. The device has an arm member with a telescoping sleeve. The sleeve is made of electrically insulating material. A clip is mounted to the top of the sleeve for grasping and holding the electric wire. A swivel connection is provided at the bottom of the sleeve connecting the sleeve of the arm to a second clip member so as to enable the arm to swivel relative to the second clip member. The second clip member is attached to a magnetized base member and the magnetized member placed on an iron or steel surface.

Uited States Patent Bosch [54] INSULATOR ARM SUPPORT DEVICE [72]Inventor: James D. Bosch, 892 East Main,

Valley City, N. Dak. 58072 [22] Filed: Sept. 21, 1971 [21] Appl. No.:182,430

[52] US. Cl. ..174/161 R, 174/169, 248/206 A, 248/278 [51] Int. Cl...H0lb 17/14 [58] Field of Search...174/138 R, 158 R, 161 R, 168,174/169; 24/73 A, 73 AS, 73 MS, 81 AD; 248/206 A, 278; 269/8; 335/285,286, 287

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,126,224 7/1956 France ..248/206 A1,204,976 8/ 1959 France ..248/206 A 215,151 5/1924 Great Britain..174/158R Primary Examiner-Laramie E. Askin Attorney-Robert E. Kleve[57] ABSTRACT The invention comprises a support device for supportingelectrical components such as an electric wire carrying a live charge.The device has an arm member with a telescoping sleeve. The sleeve ismade of electrically insulating materia1.-A clip is mounted to the topof the sleeve for grasping and holding the electric wire. A swivelconnection is provided at the bottom of the sleeve connecting the sleeveof the arm to a second clip member so as to enable the arm to swivelrelative to the second clip member. The second clip member is attachedto a magnetized base member and the magnetized member placed on an ironor steel surface.

2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures minnow 51912 I I v 3.689.687

INVENTOR JAMES D. B OSCH ATTORNEY INSULATOR ARM SUPPORT DEVICE Thisinvention relates to support equipment more particularly, the inventionrelates to support equipment for supporting electrical wires and thelike.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel inexpensive supportdevice which will support live wires in insulated relation to a mainsupporting surface and which may be adapted to various differentpositions.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel insulated armwhich may be employed to support in insulated relation an electricalcomponent carrying a live charge.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel supportingstand for supporting several components at one time and which componentsmay be adjusted to different positions on a main supporting surface.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe description proceeds and when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying-drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the adjustable arm supporting device.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view partly in sections of the adjustablearm supporting device.

Briefly stated, the invention comprises an adjustable arm supportingdevice having an arm member with a magnetic base member for magneticallyattaching the supporting device onto a main supporting magneticallyattractable surface, said arm member having a clip member at its upperend for grasping an electrical wire and the like, a telescoping sleeveis mounted to the clip member, and the telescoping sleeve is made ofelectrical insulating material, a swivel connection is provided at thelower end of the sleeve connecting the arm to a second clip member andenabling said arm to swivel relative to the said second slip member,said second clip member being attached to said magnetic base.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, in FIGS. 1 and 2 asupporting device is illustrated having an arm member 21 which has atelescoping sleeve member 22 with a clip member 23 mounted to the top ofthe sleeve 22, and a rod member 24 is slidably mounted in the bottom ofthe sleeve 22. A swivel connection 25 is mounted to the bottom of therod 24 which connection 25 is connected to leg 26' of a second clipmember 26 to provide a swivel connection between the rod 24 and leg 26'of the clip member 26. The other leg 26" of the clip member 26 isattached to a magnetic base member 27.

The clip member 23 has a fixed jaw member 28 and a movable jaw 29, whichmoveable jaw 29 pivots about pivot point 30. A coil spring 31 is mountedbetween the jaws 28 and 29 and urges the jaws 28 and 29 into theirclosed position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The lower end of the jaw 28of the clip member 23 has a pair of flanges 33 and 34 which surround andare press-fitted against a metal peg 32 to lock clip member 23 to thepeg 32.

The sleeve 22 is made of plastic material and the peg member 32 isfitted into the plastic sleeve 22 and frictionally retained in thesleeve 22.

The rod 24 is made of metal and is slidably mounted in the bore 22' ofthe sleeve 22. The rod 24 has a sufficiently tight frictional connectionwith the sleeve 22, when slidably mounted in the sleeve, so that whenthe sleeve is slid up and down on the rod 24 to a selected positionrelative to the rod 24, the sleeve will remain in selected or adjustedposition.

The swivel connection between the rod 24 and the leg 26 of the clipmember has a threaded bolt 34. The

The plate portion 37 of the rod 24 is fitted into the slot 36 in thehead of the bolt, and a pin 39 extends through the head of the bolt andthrough the plate portion 37 to pivotally connect the plate portion 37of the rod 24 to the head 35 of the bolt, and the plate portion 37frictionally engages the inner side walls of the head of the bolt in theslot 36 with sufficient friction so that when the rod is pivoted aboutthe pin 39 to an adjusted position relative to the bolt 34 and head 35,the frictional engagement between the plate portion and the head of thebolt will retain the arm 21 in its adjusted selected position.

The stem 40 of the bolt is threaded and passes freely through a bore inthe leg 26' of the clip member 26. A

coil spring 41 is fitted over the stem 40 between the head 35 and thearm 26'. A threaded nut 42 is threaded onto the stem 40 and tightenedsufficiently to compress the spring 41, so that the arm 21, includingthe rod 24 and bolt 34, may be rotated relative to the leg 26 about thelongtitudinal axis of the stem 40 in the bore of the leg 26 to anadjusted position and the coil spring compression of spring 41 willretain the arm 21 in its adjusted position.

Thus the pivotal mounting of the arm 21 by the pin 39 about a horizontalaxis and the pivotal mounting of the arm 21 by the rotationalmounting ofthe bolt 34 about the longitudinal axis of its stern, which isperpendicular to the axis of the pin 39, provides a swivel connectionbetween the arm 21 and theleg 26' of the clip member 26.

The clip member 26 is of a conventional type having a cylindrical springmetal sleeve 43 with a longitudinal slot 44 along one side forming edges44' and 44" of the spring sleeve. The pair of leg members 26' and 26"form the legs of the clip member, and the sleeve spring 43 surrounds theportions of the leg members 26' and 26" so that by pressing the outerends 45 and 45' of leg members 26' and 26" toward-one another, thisforces the edges 44' and 44" of the spring sleeve apart, causing theopposing ends 46' and 46" of the legs 26' and 26" to move apart so thatmaterial may be placed between the ends 46' and 46". The ends 45 and 45may be released and the sleeve 43 will cause the ends 46 and 46" to comeback together again to retain material therebetween.

The other leg 26" of the clip member 26 is rigidly mounted to themagnetic base member 27 by a screw 48. The base member 27 has beenmagnetized to serve as a magnet to hold the arm device in an adjustedposition on a steel or iron surface.

It is intended that the arm support .device 20 be employed to holdelectrical wires having a live charge, while the operator is repairingor servicing electrical equipment. The live electrical wire will be heldbetween the jaws 28 and 29 of the clip member 23, and the plastic sleeve22 of the arm provides an electric insulation to electrically insulatejaws 28 and 29 of the clip member 23 from the rod 24, the swivelconnection 25, clip member 26, base member 27, and the supportingsurface.

Although the base member 27 is magnetically attractable, it will havesufficient weight to support the arm member 21 upright or in adjustedpositions on other types of supporting surfaces.

The alligator clip member 23 may be used to hold parts to be assembledwhile glueing, soldering, etc.; and the metal jaws also act as a heatsink while soldering electrical components.

The device may be used with live circuits because the plastic insulatingsleeve 22 insulates the clip member 23 from the rest of the device andmay be also used for holding various electrical components.

The second clip member 26 may be used to hold various components ormaterials. The second clip member 26 may also be used to attach thesupporting device 20 to the edge of non-ferrous materials.

Thus it will be seen that a novel servicing or holding device has beenprovided, which will hold live wires of electrical circuits and thepivotal movement about different axes of the arm 21 enables the arm tobe adjusted to a variety of different positions to assist in theservicing work.

It will be obvious that various changes and departures may be made tothe invention without departing from the spirit thereof, andaccordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited to thatspecifically described in the specification or as illustrated in thedrawing, but only as set forth in the appended claims wherein:

What is claimed is:

1. A support device for holding live electrical components, such as liveelectrical wire while servicing an electrical circuit, said supportdevice comprising an arm, said arm having a telescoping sleeve made ofelectrically insulating material, a clip member at the top of thetelescoping sleeve for holding said electrical wire, a swivel connectionat the bottom of the'sleeve for pivoting the sleeve and clip memberabout two axes perpendicular to another, a magnetic base member, andmeans connecting said magnetic base member to said swivel connection.

2. A support device according to claim 1 wherein said means connectingsaid magnetic base member to said swivel connection comprises a secondclip member.

1. A support device for holding live electrical components, such as liveelectrical wire while servicing an electrical circuit, said supportdevice comprising an arm, said arm having a telescoping sleeve made ofelectrically insulating material, a clip member at the top of thetelescoping sleeve for holding said electrical wire, a swivel connectionat the bottom of the sleeve for pivoting the sleeve and clip memberabout two axes perpendicular to another, a magnetic base member, andmeans connecting said magnetic base member to said swivel connection. 2.A support device according to claim 1 wherein said means connecting saidmagnetic base member to said swivel connection comprises a second clipmember.